Difference between revisions of "WikiLeaks"
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WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization launched in 2007 that provides a platform for the anonymous submission of sensitive or classified information for publication<ref name="WikiLeaks.org">WikiLeaks.org</ref>. As of 2011, WikiLeaks has been responsible for the publication of documents including military procedural manuals, diplomatic communication, and the suppression of journalistic freedom and freedom of speech, etc.<ref name="WikiLeaks.org"/> | WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization launched in 2007 that provides a platform for the anonymous submission of sensitive or classified information for publication<ref name="WikiLeaks.org">WikiLeaks.org</ref>. As of 2011, WikiLeaks has been responsible for the publication of documents including military procedural manuals, diplomatic communication, and the suppression of journalistic freedom and freedom of speech, etc.<ref name="WikiLeaks.org"/> | ||
| − | Given WikiLeaks' commitment to making government and corporate institutional activity more transparent, it has predictably been an object of scorn for such institutions around the world; as of late 2011, WikiLeaks had ceased publication due to a "blockade" by credit card companies, who had long been refusing to process donations to the company<ref>Hope, Christopher: WikiLeaks' money woes brings end to leak of secrets. The Telegraph (UK) 24 October 2011</ref>. Only weeks later, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange lost an appeal against his extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape<ref>Larson, Erik: WikiLeaks founder Assange to be extradited to Sweden to face rape claim. The Washington Post 2 November 2011</ref> | + | Given WikiLeaks' commitment to making government and corporate institutional activity more transparent, it has predictably been an object of scorn for such institutions around the world; as of late 2011, WikiLeaks had ceased publication due to a "blockade" by credit card companies, who had long been refusing to process donations to the company<ref name="blockade">Hope, Christopher: WikiLeaks' money woes brings end to leak of secrets. The Telegraph (UK) 24 October 2011</ref>. Only weeks later, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange lost an appeal against his extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape<ref name="extradition">Larson, Erik: WikiLeaks founder Assange to be extradited to Sweden to face rape claim. The Washington Post 2 November 2011</ref>, leaving the future of WikiLeaks uncertain. |
| − | The governmental and corporate response to WikiLeaks and the actions taken against Assange and others affiliated with the website come at a time of growing civilian unrest and demonstration against governmental and corporate | + | The governmental and corporate response to WikiLeaks and the actions taken against Assange and others affiliated with the website come at a time of growing civilian unrest and demonstration against governmental and corporate suppression of human rights (e.g. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring the Arab Spring as well as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement the Occupy Movement]. |
== Key Figures == | == Key Figures == | ||
=== Julian Assange === | === Julian Assange === | ||
| + | "We all only live once. So we are obligated to make good use of the time that we have and to do something that is meaningful and satisfying. [Exposing injustice] is something that I find meaningful and satisfying. That is my temperament. I enjoy creating systems on a grand scale, and I enjoy helping people who are vulnerable. And I enjoy crushing bastards. So it is enjoyable work.<ref>Julian Assange in an interview with Der Spiegel (Germany) 26 July 2010</ref>" | ||
| + | -Julian Assange | ||
| + | |||
| + | In his youth, Assange along with his mother were members of the controversial religious group "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fellowship_(Australia) The Fellowship]", also known as "The Family.<ref name="smh">Welch, Dylan: Inside the strange world of Julian Assange. Sydney Morning Herald 15 October 2011</ref>" After attending over thirty schools around Australia, Assange eventually found a niche as a hobbyist computer hacker, infiltrating (but not leaking) high-security government servers<ref>smh</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | As an adult, Assange started the first ISP in Australia before moving into a publishing career with occasional forays into journalism<ref>Greenberg, Andy: An Interview With WikiLeaks' Julain Assance. Forbes 29 November 2010</ref>, ultimately founding WikiLeaks. | ||
| + | |||
| + | After attracting sufficient worldwide attention through his work with WikiLeaks, Assange was arrested in late 2010 on a Swedish warrant stating he was wanted for questioning regarding allegations of rape. He served an ad hoc house arrest, wherein he was granted bail upon agreeing to be monitored, comply with a curfew, and forfeit his passport among other conditions, until his appeal to the extradition was rejected in November 2011 <ref>extradition</ref> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
<div class="references-small"> <references /> </div> | <div class="references-small"> <references /> </div> | ||
Revision as of 10:03, 9 November 2011
Overview
WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization launched in 2007 that provides a platform for the anonymous submission of sensitive or classified information for publication[1]. As of 2011, WikiLeaks has been responsible for the publication of documents including military procedural manuals, diplomatic communication, and the suppression of journalistic freedom and freedom of speech, etc.[1]
Given WikiLeaks' commitment to making government and corporate institutional activity more transparent, it has predictably been an object of scorn for such institutions around the world; as of late 2011, WikiLeaks had ceased publication due to a "blockade" by credit card companies, who had long been refusing to process donations to the company[2]. Only weeks later, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange lost an appeal against his extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape[3], leaving the future of WikiLeaks uncertain.
The governmental and corporate response to WikiLeaks and the actions taken against Assange and others affiliated with the website come at a time of growing civilian unrest and demonstration against governmental and corporate suppression of human rights (e.g. the Arab Spring as well as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement the Occupy Movement.
Key Figures
Julian Assange
"We all only live once. So we are obligated to make good use of the time that we have and to do something that is meaningful and satisfying. [Exposing injustice] is something that I find meaningful and satisfying. That is my temperament. I enjoy creating systems on a grand scale, and I enjoy helping people who are vulnerable. And I enjoy crushing bastards. So it is enjoyable work.[4]" -Julian Assange
In his youth, Assange along with his mother were members of the controversial religious group "The Fellowship", also known as "The Family.[5]" After attending over thirty schools around Australia, Assange eventually found a niche as a hobbyist computer hacker, infiltrating (but not leaking) high-security government servers[6]
As an adult, Assange started the first ISP in Australia before moving into a publishing career with occasional forays into journalism[7], ultimately founding WikiLeaks.
After attracting sufficient worldwide attention through his work with WikiLeaks, Assange was arrested in late 2010 on a Swedish warrant stating he was wanted for questioning regarding allegations of rape. He served an ad hoc house arrest, wherein he was granted bail upon agreeing to be monitored, comply with a curfew, and forfeit his passport among other conditions, until his appeal to the extradition was rejected in November 2011 [8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 WikiLeaks.org
- ↑ Hope, Christopher: WikiLeaks' money woes brings end to leak of secrets. The Telegraph (UK) 24 October 2011
- ↑ Larson, Erik: WikiLeaks founder Assange to be extradited to Sweden to face rape claim. The Washington Post 2 November 2011
- ↑ Julian Assange in an interview with Der Spiegel (Germany) 26 July 2010
- ↑ Welch, Dylan: Inside the strange world of Julian Assange. Sydney Morning Herald 15 October 2011
- ↑ smh
- ↑ Greenberg, Andy: An Interview With WikiLeaks' Julain Assance. Forbes 29 November 2010
- ↑ extradition
